Mara Perugini

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I am married to Dr. Rocco and I have three beautiful daughters; Milana (18), Daria (16), and Valentina (10).

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I am the owner of Accent On Dance Mukwonago. Every day I feel grateful to do what I love. Teaching dance gives my life purpose and direction. I love being an inspiration to children of all ages through the art of movement. I feel strongly that dance class provides life lessons that carry on with my students forever. Dance class was the best gift my parents ever gave me.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
I enjoy Fork in the Road, and David Allen Allen’s. The fish tacos (Fork) and collard greens (DAA) are some of my favorites! However we must not forget a Jay’s Lanes pizza will always hit the spot!

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I grew up in Mukwonago and went to Clarendon Avenue school. I walked to school from my childhood home. I bought my shoes from Fennel’s footwear, got treats at Charlie’s Shake Shop, and skated the day away at the Mukwonago Skate Connection which is now the home of my dance studio. I spent many wonderful summers playing outside with friends, swimming in the swimming hole, frequenting the Mukwonago Family Library and running wild like a child of the 80’s. I graduated from Mukwonago High School (1996) and then completed my college dance degree from Winthrop University in Rock Hill South Carolina. After college Rocco and I settled back in the Mukwonago area and began our family and our businesses.

Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
Not only do I love the art of dance, but I love drama, music and visual arts as well! I have been fortunate to meet and get to know a few of the amazing and interesting art teachers in our community such as, Dale Wimer (orchestra) Nyla Clements (band) Joe Coldwell (theater) Lori Wildeman (singing) John Grundman (art) Heidi Baehman (photography). These are all very interesting and PASSIONATE people in our community sharing the arts with our children in a big way! We are so lucky to have people that care about art education and the importance it plays in our society.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I’m not that much of an adventurous traveler and I actually really like being home. However, I would go to Colorado to visit my brother because I miss him.

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My favorite movies are dance movies and musicals. I love White Nights, Center Stage, Singing in the Rain, Grease, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins, and the Sound of Music to name a few.

Q: What advice would you give to people?
Figure out what you love to do, and THEN figure out how to get paid to do it.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I have this idea for a board game that I’d love to produce. Someday I’d like to make this a reality!

Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I love the Yacht Rock Spotify playlist. Some artists include: Kenny Rodgers, Dolly Parton, Bill Withers, and Fleetwood Mac to name a few.

Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
The Mukwonago Library feels nostalgic to me. I remember when it was in the house on Division street and I would go and wait in line to use the computer. That was a treat!

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would meet with Dawn Retherford, Erika Deering, and Megan Zelinski. These three gals and I have been friends since high school and every time we meet life feels a little bit easier. Their lifelong friendship is rare and I am blessed to share this with them. Most likely we’d meet at the Fork in the Road.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I absolutely love a parade! Our Father’s day parade is one I looked forward to watching as a child and currently look forward to having the Accent On Dance kids perform each year! Additionally I love the midnight magic parade and how the community all comes out to show their love! This past year I was brought to tears to see how the bus drivers and law enforcement lined the side streets to help us feel safe and protected.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In 10 years, I hope to be right here. I’m blessed to live in a home surrounded by nature. I’m fortunate to work with a community of young people who look to me for inspiration. I hope I’m lucky enough to get to continue doing exactly this for a very long time!

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Something interesting that most people don’t know about me is that my husband and I met working at the Subway Sandwich shop right here in Mukwonago. During my high school years, I joined the food co-op program intended for kids looking to have a career in food industry. My reason for this was to get out of school early each day to work at Subway so that I could make money to buy more tap dance lessons! I got more tap lessons and a future husband too!

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
The most beautiful place I have ever been is Anse Marcel beach in St. Martin.

Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
My favorite month of the calendar is July. I love heat, boating, swimming and sun and all things summer!

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
I would rate my Accent On Dance students a 10 out of 10! I love their enthusiasm and zest for life. They make me laugh, they bring me joy and I feel honored to watch them perform. Come see them perform June 2-5 at the Greenwald Performing Arts Center!

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Without at doubt, Kamryn Sherman came into my life to teach me many things. Although she is 19 years younger than me, she has helped me to be more organized, calmer, physically fit, and optimistic. She believes in me and pushes me to trust myself.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
My favorite smells are lilac trees, coffee, wine, and chocolate.

Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
“Weald Manor” – I have to explain. We did not build our home but when we purchased it, there was a very large rock out front with the words “Weald Manor” engraved in it. Apparently it means english forest preserve. So we left it there and now we live at Weald Manor 🙂